SULLIVAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND JOHN THOMAS THEATRE

The Sullivan Performing Arts Center is approximately 43,000 square feet in size and houses the 1000 seat John Tomas Theatre. A sloped floor and terrace seating offers superior sight lines and optimized viewing while side seating boxes provide for an intimate viewing experience. A dual catwalk system, with tech galleries on both sides, allows for flexible spotlight positions and doubles as unique staging positions for actors during a performance.

Acoustics, audio, video and lighting systems have been designed to accommodate multiple styles of performances. Variable acoustics have been incorporated into the space through the use of operable curtains on both sides of the theatre at seating and tech gallery levels. This allows the room to be “tuned” for varying shows. The burnished masonry walls would be fully exposed to enhance classical and choral performances. During a Broadway style musical, it would require the curtain to be partially closed for intelligibility while a contemporary music performance that is driven by a beat, would have the curtains closed to cover the walls in order to reduce reverberation.
The state-of-the-art audio system features a digital mixing console with the ability to store or recall shows and scenes. For audience sound enhancement, eighty-five microphone inputs surround the stage and orchestra pit and there is a paging system to the dressing rooms and back of house spaces in order to cue performers.

A theatrical lighting console controls 288 dimmers and 115 moving light fixtures throughout the theatre space. Lighting positions include four electrics over the stage, one in front of the proscenium, two on the catwalks and four positions in the tech gallery.
A High-Definition video system with eight camera locations throughout the theatre offers fiber connections back to the main campus control room to allow for video production and television broadcasts of performances.

Providing the ultimate in performance flexibility is a mechanized lift that can conceal an orchestra below floor level for a performance or set at floor level to allow for additional seating. When raised to the stage level, it creates a thrust stage increasing intimacy between performers and the audience. Further, a soaring fly loft has been sized to handle a wide range of scenery and sits above the spacious stage.
Backstage, positioned between two large dressing areas with lockers and restrooms, performers enjoy a large makeup room with fourteen individual stations featuring mirrors and Hollywood lights. Supporting the theatrical productions is a fully equipped Scene Shop for the creation of performance backdrops. Ample storage is provided for costumes, props and various types of equipment.
Before the performers hit the stage, practice room is available in the oversized Choir and Drama rooms which are designed to also double as a black box theatre. The Choir Room is provided with flexible risers and has four adjoining private practice rooms while the footprint of the Drama Room is equivalent to that of the theatre stage so that performers may exactly replicate the performance during practice. Additionally, there are two full-size classrooms equipped with computer outlets networked to Texas High School and situated so that they can also provide supplemental dressing areas for larger performances or can function as green rooms.